Winner of GMU Learn to Fly contest revealed

The winners of the Learn to Fly Contest sponsored by South Carolina’s Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), Airwolf Aviation, Greenville Jet Center and the Upstate Business Journal have been revealed.

In its first year, the contest received more than 18,000 entries — but organizers note that about 15,000 of those entries were from one person, Wade Shealey, who ended up winning third place. His prize: A Discovery Flight Lesson, which includes 45 minutes of ground instruction and a 45 minute flight. Value: $149.

“Other than him, we had 3,161 entries from approximately 500 different people,” organizers noted.

Second place winner, who also won a discovery flight lesson, is Joshua Eskew.

Finally, the Grand Prize Winner of a Private Pilot Training Program is Kristina Carandang. The program includes all the training, books and exams to qualify to get her private pilot’s license. Value: $8,000.